Relationships Are Key; Luke 14-16

May the mumbling commence!

In this life, what is the most important?  If we listen to the wisdom of the world, we might conclude that money drives many things.  On the surface, money makes life easier.  So you and I should press onward to obtain and hold onto a well-paying job.  In this world, to press onward and hold onto wealth often requires ruthlessness and shrewdness.  Read the parable of the shrewd manager from the beginning of Luke chapter sixteen:

Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.  So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.' 

The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg – I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.' 

So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 

'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied.

The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.' 

Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?'

'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied.

He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.' 

The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.  I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?  And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? 

No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." 

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.  He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.” (Verses 1-15)

This parable is difficult not to struggle with.  The shrewd manager was wasting his master’s possessions.  It cannot be good to waste our Master’s possessions!  Indeed, wasting his master’s possession is the reason for losing his job.  We are not told how the manager was wasting possessions, but we can infer some things by the way he makes friends.

The shrewd manager meets with his master’s clients.  One client gets his bill reduced by half.  Another client gets his bill reduced by twenty-per-cent.  Let us ask ourselves this question: Was the manager inflating the bills of his master’s clients for personal gain?  The wisdom of the world would smile upon such deception.  In fact, worldly wisdom would tell us to cheat as many clients we could before we lose our jobs – to accumulate money to live on.

Instead the shrewd manager eschewed temporary monetary gains to build friendships.  Friendship became his highest goal not money making.  In God’s economy, relationship is the most valuable commodity.  Love of money – or anything else for that matter – is destructive to right relationships.

When we remove the deceptions from our eyes, we will see that relationships are also the greatest commodity in this world.  So, spend less time at the office and more time with family and friends.  And, when you must spend time in the office, do not allow money or possessions to be your master.  Seek there too, in the office, to create right relationships with your boss and you clients.  Handle your earthly relationships with care so that you may be trusted with the true riches of heaven… 

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! Luke 11-13

May the mumbling commence!

Jesus was not hesitant to speak truth to the religious leaders of his day.  Yes, Jesus spoke truth to religious power holders.  Woe to them he said.  Read from Luke chapter eleven:

When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table.  But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. 

Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.  You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?  But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. 

Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. 

Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 

Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it." 

One of the experts in the law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also." 

Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. 

Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them.  So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.  Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'   Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all. 

Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." 

When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say. (Verses 37-54)

The Pharisees and the experts in the Law were indignant because Jesus did not follow the tradition of the elders to wash his hands before he ate.  This exacting manner towards human tradition raised Jesus’ ire.  And the woes began to pour from Jesus’ mouth.

Woe to you!  You worry only about outside appearances and hide your greed and wickedness.  Share what you have with the poor and God will cleanse you from your wickedness.  Ouch!  Those words sting and insult, indeed! 

Woe to you!  You get caught up in the tithe and forget justice and love.  You forget that the tithe is a minimum not a maximum.  Seek the justice and love of God – upon these concepts are built the reason for the tithe.

Woe to you!  You love to be important and forget that it is God who is to be worshiped.  Talk about walking on the broad path to death!  Load the burdens of the Law on others to make yourself feel better.  Refuse to lift a finger to help others.  Try and show honor to God’s prophets by decorating their graves!  Follow what they have taught instead!  You have the knowledge.  Use it!  Or at least stop hindering those people who are trying to use it. 

Harsh words!  But Jesus spoke this way to them because they had much learning.  Much was expected of them – just as much is expected of you and me because we know the way of the Lord through Jesus.  Read from Luke chapter twelve:

“That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.  But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Verses 47-48)

We know enough of God’s will for our lives through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  It is high time to get ourselves ready and do what is required of us – generosity, justice, love… 

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out

The Best Way; Luke 8-10

May the mumbling commence!

Many of the people of Jesus’ day thought Jesus was Elijah returned.  Jesus’ disciples knew this and probably saw a great deal of validity to the thought processes that linked Jesus with Elijah.  At this point in Luke’s narrative, Jesus began to draw distinctions between himself and Elijah.

As we follow along with Luke from chapter nine, verse eighteen, we see a distinction being drawn.  Jesus predicted his death at the hands of the religious leaders.  Jesus would not simply be lifted up in a chariot of fire like Elijah.  Jesus would suffer a terrible death (Luke 9:21-27).

Then there was the transfiguration upon the mountain top.  Moses and Elijah were with Jesus discussing Jesus’ upcoming departure from Jerusalem.  Peter thought this combination of power would be great.  “Let us set up camp,” Peter said.  But the cloud descended and left only Jesus – God’s Son. 

We are to listen to Jesus alone – more so than Moses or Elijah (Luke 9:28-36).

Then Jesus comes down from the mountain and stands in amazement at the lack of peoples’ faith (Luke 9:37-43). 

And he goes on to predict his death a second time (Verses 43-48). 

When the disciples worry about someone else doing miracles in Jesus’ name, Jesus rebukes them.  Jesus is pleased when someone works in his name. 

Unlike Elijah, Jesus does not believe that only he is faithful to God (Verses 49-50).

After these verses the contrast between Jesus and Elijah are most pronounced.  Read from Luke chapter nine:

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.  And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 

When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" 

But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village. (Verses 51-56) 

Jesus refused to send down fire on the Samaritan village.  He parted from the way of Elijah.  When the people of Samaria went after gods other than the Lord, Elijah called down fire upon them.  (See 2 Kings Chapter 1.)  Jesus found another way to be true to the call of the Lord on his life.  Jesus’ way opened a path for repentance for the Samaritans.  Read on:

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 

Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." 

He said to another man, "Follow me."

But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 

Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 

Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." 

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Verses 57-62)   

When Elijah called Elisha (1 Kings 19:19ff.), Elijah allowed Elisha to return to say goodbye to his family.  The call of the Lord Jesus is greater than the call of the Prophet Elijah.  Which call will we answer?

Let us walk in the way of Jesus, the best way.  Let us never look back.  May the name of God be praised through our service to the Lord!

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Faith Then Miracles; Luke 5-7

May the mumbling commence!

Which comes first – miracles or faith?  Read a set of miracles from the beginning of Luke chapter seven:

When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.  There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.  The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.  When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue."  So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.  That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."  Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. (Verses 1-10) 

In the case of the centurion, faith and devotion and love for God definitely came first.  The elders of the Jews defined him as worthy of help because he loves the Jewish people and had built their synagogue.  This centurion had a love for the living God before he knew of Jesus.  It was through his love of the living God that he heard of Jesus.

He trusted in the might of the living God more so than he trusted in the might of the Roman legions, of which he was a part.  It is no wonder that Jesus said that he has not found such faith in Israel!  Far too many of the Jewish people were doing everything they could to hold onto any power they had thought they possessed – trusting in the power of Rome to last. 

Faith, in this case came before miracle.  Read the next miracle story in Luke chapter seven 

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him.  As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out – the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.  When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." 

Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"  The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 

They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people."  This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.  (Verses 11-17)

This story begins with grief and despair and extreme vulnerability.  A widow has lost her only son – the only hope she had for her wellbeing and support.  A large crowd walked with her, helpless to the fate of the woman.  They walked with her and cried with her.  None thought to go to Jesus…

But Jesus saw and had compassion on the widow.  He interrupted the procession and called the widow’s son back from death.  The son was raised, and the people were filled with awe and praised God.  The news spread like wildfire.  In this case, miracle preceded faith… if faith was actually growing within the awe and praise…

When we depend upon the miraculous to sustain our faith, we are always hungry for more miracles.  Luke chapter seven goes on to show the doubt of John the Baptist, who was imprisoned.  Are you the one, or should we expect another..?

Faith comes most naturally before miracle, because faith gives us the eyes to see – eyes to see that power and might and truth comes from God alone. 

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Joy and Suffering; Luke 2-4

May the mumbling commence!

Talk about mixed signals!  Mary and Joseph went to the Temple to do what the Law called for them to do on Jesus’ eighth day of life.  Before they could leave the building, they came across the path of Simeon.  What words fell from his lips that concerned them and their small baby!  Read them from Luke chapter two:

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 

"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you now dismiss your servant in peace. 

For my eyes have seen your salvation, 

which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel." 

The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.  Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." (Verses 25-35)

The small helpless babe in Mary’s arms was the salvation of God – for them and all Israel.  That much they could have known from the visitation of the angels and the divine conception in the womb of Mary.  It was a marvel to hear these words of truth spoken from a man that they had likely never met before.  What joyous and well received words he spoke!

There are some hints at marvel in Simeon’s spoken verses.  Indeed, Mary and Joseph marveled at what Simeon said.  The Lord’s salvation was in the sight of all people and was to be a light for revelation to the Gentiles.  Glory would come to Israel but salvation and revelation were meant for all people – Jews and Gentiles.

Then Simeon turned to Mary.  Jesus would cause the falling and rising of many in Israel.  Jesus’ life would be a sign that would be spoken against.  Hidden things and intentions would be revealed in the light of Jesus.  The Lord was going to turn up the heat and stir the pot of humanity to boiling – to boiling over in anger and fear and jealousy.  

A sword would pierce Mary’s soul.  No parent should outlive their children.  I witnessed the grief of my parents’ at the death of my brother, Don.  It is a pain that marks the soul… 

Simeon spoke words of joy and words of suffering.  Both were appropriate harbingers for the life of Jesus and of Mary.  Heart thoughts would be known – even the thoughts of Mary, who treasured all these things in her heart…

May we accept both the joy and the suffering attached to being followers of Jesus.  May we accept the surprises and bend our will to the will of God.  May we welcome all of God’s adopted children…

Yes, Luke extends the scope of salvation as the Jews knew it – extended it to include all who were willing to come to Jesus.  It is evident in his genealogy of Jesus.  Unlike Matthew, Luke works his way backward from Jesus – all the way to Adam, the son of God.  Matthew stops his genealogy at Abraham – though he does include some Gentile women.

Luke recalls the ancestry of Abraham, which predates the Israelite people.  Abraham was the first Gentile who responded positively to the call of the Lord.  Abraham is father not only of the Edomites and the Israelites, he is also the father of all believing Gentiles.  Father of many nations, indeed!  

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

A New Day Dawns; Luke 1

May the mumbling commence!

In my time at seminary, I spent some time trying out new spiritual practices.  Along with a group of others students and teachers and staff, I prayed a Catholic breviary.  I am a morning person, so I more often did the Morning Prayer. 

All the prayers in the breviary that we were using had Scriptures to read – mainly from the Psalms.  The Morning Prayer always included the Song of Zechariah.  And the Song of Zechariah from the end of Luke chapter one has been special to me ever since.  Read it below:

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

because he has come and has redeemed his people. 

He has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of his servant David 

(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 

salvation from our enemies

and from the hand of all who hate us – 

to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant, 

the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 

to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,

and to enable us to serve him without fear 

in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 

And you, my child,

will be called a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord

to prepare the way for him, 

to give his people the knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins, 

because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 

to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the path of peace." (Verses 68-79)

Praise belongs to God alone.  All redemption and power and salvation come from God alone.  And these come as a mercy to us.  We do not deserve them.  Redemption and power and salvation are based upon the holy covenant that God made with our ancestors so long ago.  We are rescued from our own foolish ways!

We are rescued for a purpose.  We are rescued to serve without fear – to serve in holiness and righteousness before God.  Take the leading of the Spirit of God – whether it is gentle or forceful – take it like a child taking the hand of father and mother. 

Everything we do is to be before the Lord.  There is nothing that escapes God’s notice.  Everything that we do should open the way for the Lord in our hearts and the hearts of all creation.

From what do we need to be rescued?  We need rescue from our sins.  Forgiveness is ours for the taking!  Forgiveness is the rising sun.  It illuminates our darkness.  It puts in bold relief the fruit of our sins – death.  It overcomes death!

We are rescued for a purpose.  We are rescued so that we might find the paths of peace.  “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” (Mt. 5:9).  Come peacemakers.  A new day is dawning.  Go before the Lord ever and always! 

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out

Do and Give Dues; Mark 12-14

May the mumbling commence!

In what ways do we give our Master His due?  In what subtle ways do we deny our Master His due?  These are important questions to ask ourselves periodically.  These questions were at the heart of the parable that Jesus told the chief priests and teachers of the Law and the elders.  This parable magnifies the refusal of these religious leaders to claim John the Baptist as speaking for God or for himself.  Read from the beginning of Mark chapter twelve:

He then began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.  He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. 

He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 

But the tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'   So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 

What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.  Haven't you read this scripture:

'The stone the builders rejected

has become the capstone; 

the Lord has done this,

and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" (Verses 1-11)

Everything that we think that we own or have entitlement to comes from God.  God is our Master.  We have what we have by the grace of God, who rents all our possessions to us.  God expects us to be fruitful.  And He expects that fruit to glorify His name.  Glorification of God is His due.

Everything in our lives must align with this glorification of God.  How are we doing with our dues?  How have you and I used everything in our lives to glorify God?

The summer and fall seasons are a time of harvest in our lives.  For farmers and gardeners, there is literal truth to this.  For students (which I hope and pray that all of us are), it means a time of rest from studies so that we may begin to apply our learning’s to our lives. 

Too many students allow the summer to ebb away in the hazy and lazy days of summer.  Then students must begin again in the fall trying to reclaim the learning that they have lost.  I greatly desire to make this summer a time of application.

For me, I want to delve into the Word of God more and more so that I can form a many-tiered story of Elijah’s life – to see how his life foreshadows the lives of both John the Baptist and Jesus.  It is a story that I foresee including monologues and dialogues that will uncover patterns – and even more important, at times, deviations from the patterns.

The story of Elijah (and Elisha) echoes forth from the story of Moses and Joshua and foreshadows John the Baptist and Jesus… and by extension Jesus and the church.  It is a message that the church desperately needs to hear. 

It is a message of succession.  God’s will is greater than any of us.  The lifework that God has given us will never be completed by one person or one generation.  The forerunners need to carefully train the successors and hand off the baton of faith.  The successors must take an active part in receiving that baton.

Yes, the different generation can learn from each other!  Help us, O Holy Spirit, to learn from one another… so that we might glorify your name among all the people – giving God His due. 

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out

Slow Learners Welcome! Mark 9-11

May the mumbling commence!

Talk about slow learners.  Jesus spoke to his disciples in the tenth chapter of Mark – for the third time (denoting completeness) – that he was to suffer, die and rise again.  Then, James and John come forward to ask Jesus a question.  Read from Mark chapter ten:

They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him.  "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." 

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." 

"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. 

They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." 

"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" 

"We can," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." (Verses 32-40)

You do not know what you are asking.  Such is the case with most of us who prayer for powers of position.  James and John were operating under the assumption of a political Messiah, who would establish a new Davidic kingdom. 

They were expecting a Messiah to be as successful as Elijah – who anointed a successor.  Maybe James and John thought Peter was making power moves and wanted to assure both their position of honor and power at Jesus’ side.

One thing was for certain.  James and John had not been listening and understanding Jesus very well.  Jesus has told them a number of times about his impending suffering and death and resurrection.  Were they aware of this suffering being associated with reigning with Jesus?  Probably not.

The other disciples were subject to the same misconception, because they were jealous of James and John for actively seeking out positions of power in the coming kingdom.  Jesus set them straight.  The kingdom of God is not about power but about service.  To be great you must serve.

If serving was unwelcome news, imagine what unwelcome news it was to find out that they would indeed be subject to the suffering of Jesus without any promise of having positions of power and honor in the kingdom.

May we be willing to suffer with Jesus without any guarantee of power or honor.  May we listen intently to what the Spirit is telling us to do.  May we serve with humility.  Then we will be great in the kingdom of heaven – even if, or because of that suffering and service.

Jesus, you are our Master, we follow in your footsteps of humility and service for others…

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Where's Elijah? Mark 6-8

May the mumbling commence!

Where’s Elijah?  That is the question, rather than where’s Waldo.  In Mark chapter six, Jesus had been healing people and performing miracles.  Then Jesus sent out his closest disciples to do the same work.  Word of these miracles and works came to King Herod’s ear.  Read from Mark chapter six:

King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." 

Others said, "He is Elijah."

And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago." 

But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!" 

For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.  For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."  So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. 

Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.  When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you."  And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom." 

She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?"

"The head of John the Baptist," she answered. 

At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." 

The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.  So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.  On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Verses 14-29) 

Many times, we have pondered, “What would Jesus do?”  For the people of Jesus’ day, the question may have been, “What would Elijah do?”  Some people associated John the Baptist with Elijah.  Elijah confronted the apostasy of those in power – particularly an evil queen.  Think about the similarities between Herodias and Jezebel!

But Elijah eventually prevailed over Jezebel.  Elijah did not die.  He was taken up in a whirlwind.  Well, John the Baptist did confront and speak truth to both Herod and Herodias.  However, John did not prevail.  He lost his head.

Some people thought Jesus was Elijah.  Elijah did miracles.  Jesus did miracles.  Would the pattern continue?  Would Jesus be like the triumphant Elijah?  Would Jesus eventually anoint a successor?  Only time would tell.

Herod thought Jesus was John the Baptist returned from the dead.  If John greatly puzzled Herod, I wonder what emotions that Jesus brought forth in Herod.  I would guess fear.  Though he was right to fear Jesus, Herod was wrong in his reasons for fear.

For Herod, fear drove a hard bargain.  Fear of soiling his reputation after a possibly drunken promise of a gift drove Herod to kill John the Baptist.  Fear would continue to drive Herod – fear and a hunger for power. 

What drives us?  May we come to Jesus and accept his mercy and grace and love.  Then, all fear will be driven from us.

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out